Raytown Police Department
. The Raytown Police Department (RPD) is the principal law enforcement agency serving Raytown in the U.S. state of Missouri. The current chief of police is Jim Lynch.Raytown Police Department Website Overview The mission of the Raytown Police Department is to provide and maintain a safe community by developing strong community partnerships and serving with professionalism, trust, and integrity.Raytown Police Department Mission Statement The agency serves approximately 30,000 residents. Raytown is surrounded almost totally by the city of Kansas City, Missouri and is part of the larger Kansas City metropolitan area, with a metro-wide population of approximately 2,343,008 residents that spans both the Missouri and Kansas side of the state line. City Marshal / Chief of Police The elected marshal of the City of Raytown is responsible for the operation of the RPD. The elected Marshal serves as the Chief of Police and is directly responsible to the people of Raytown. That position goes before the voters every four years. Additional oversight and budgetary matters are provided by the Raytown City Council.City of Raytown Elected Officials Current divisions Commissioned/sworn ranks The RPD uses the following ranks. History On 7/17/50 the City of Raytown received incorporation at the circuit court of Jackson County in Independence.Raytown News, July 20, 1950 The original city officials, including city marshal, were appointed by the county court until the first elections were held in April 1951. Harry Lewis was the first city marshal.Raytown Remembers by Roberta Bonnewitz & Lois Allen (Raytown Historical Society, 1975) p 109 The Raytown Police Department was formed at the express wish of city officials in August 1950. Upon forming the Police Department, the City Marshal became known as Chief of Police for the Department. The position of Marshal was, by statute, a two year term and was changed by statute many years later to four years, which it remains to this day.Raytown Police Department: The First 60 Years (1950-2010), by Ret. Sgt. Bruce T. Varner, (2011) page 24 In those early days there was no space specifically designated for the Police Department and no jail facilities. Violators of city ordinance and traffic rules made bail and attended court in the basement of the mayor’s home. Violators who were being held over, or those having more serious charges that were to be prosecuted at a county level, would be transported to the Independence city jail or the Jackson County jail.Abid, page 27 In April 1951 after the first elections, city business was moved out of private homes and into the basement of a building located on the northwest corner of 63rd Street & Raytown Road. On the main level was the early Raytown Clinic. Most city business, meetings, and court were conducted in this limited space of approximately 500 square feet. The Police Department, consisting of only the chief and one officer, had no dedicated space in this first "City Hall". Sometime later that same year, city and police business was moved to 6215 Raytown Road in a building a few doors north of the clinic and on the opposite side of Raytown Road. Two small rooms were set aside for use by the Police Department. These two rooms served as the first Raytown Police Station.Abid, page 28 In 1954 a third officer was hired along with a number of reserve officers. The total regular officers became five in 1955, still supported by a larger number of reserves. A major step towards a true police station occurred in 1955. The city purchased the old Southwestern Bell building at 10016 E. 62 Street. By late summer, the building was occupied. A portion designated for use as the city’s third city hall and second police station. There still were no prisoner facilities, but the departments first communications system was installed. Prior to this dedicated radio frequency (KQL882), radio traffic was on a joint frequency occupied by other agencies.Marion P. Beeler's Reference Album Chronicling RPD History (Raytown Historical Society) 1957 was the year that the Raytown Police Department acquired true police facilities. A move to what would be the third police station occurred. The city obtained what was by that time a 50 year old building at 9900 E. 63 Street. The building had served as a grade school. The police station consisted of the lower level with rooms on the main floor for the Chief's office and records. The upper floor was primarily an open meeting room used for council meetings and court. For the first time the department had facilities to hold arrested individuals in that lower level.Raytown Police Department: The First 60 Years (1950-2010), by Ret. Sgt. Bruce T. Varner, (2011) page 31 In 1958 the first female commissioned officer was hired. 1960 reveals fourteen regular department officers. At the start of the 60's the Raytown Police Department Reserve force consisted of thirty reserve officers. By the close of the decade the number of regular officers on the department approached fifty.Abid, page 36 1972 saw Raytown’s second female police officer. In 1974 the Raytown Police Department created and staffed on part time basis, a special response team for the first time. Raytown Citizens in 1974 raised money and purchased the first “bullet proof vests” for officers. 1975 brought the completion of a new City Hall/Police Department. For the first time, the Police Department had space to grow. This facility still serves these purposes today. In 1980 the city approved 911 capabilities. Raytown was one of the two remaining entities within Jackson County to climb on board the 911 system.Article in Raytown Post on February, 19th, 1980 Also in December the Police Department began dispatching for the new Raytown EMT ambulances. In 1981 officers were allowed for the first time to qualify with, and carry semi-automatic pistols on duty. The latter half of the 1970’s saw a few departments nationwide begin the transition from officer owned revolvers to semi-automatic sidearms. In 1981, however, this idea was still new and generated much controversy. Only one Kansas City metro department had switched to semi-autos. One other area department also allowed semi-auto carry as an option.RPD Interdepartmental 7/23/81 In 1989 the Raytown Police Department completed initial transition to department provided Sig Sauer semi automatic pistol as the standard sidearm.RPD Interdepartmental 3/21/89 This marked the first time mandatory use of a single firearm system was purchased by, and required by the department. From this point on, only the issued make and model handgun was authorized for on duty carry. The Sig Sauer P226, a 9mm pistol was the chosen duty firearm.Raytown Police Department: The First 60 Years (1950-2010), by Ret. Sgt. Bruce T. Varner, (2011) page 89 In 1991 Raytown Police created the department’s first Canine unit. In late 1999 and into 2000, the department transitioned from the Sig Sauer pistols which the department had carried for 18 years, to the Glock handgun system. The Glock 17 and 19 became standard issue. This weapon is the department standard to this day.Chief Jim Lynch Today Raytown is an urban/suburban police department with 84 sworn officers that deals with the types of crime such an environment produces. See also *List of law enforcement agencies in Missouri *History of criminal justice *Law enforcement in the United States *Police References External links * Raytown Police Department Website * RPD Community Resources Site * RPD Ride Along Program * Missouri Peace Officers Association * Crime Statistics for Raytown, Missouri * Raytown Police Department on Facebook * Google Map to Raytown Police Station * Kansas City Public Library Special Collections - Raytown Police Department : the first 60 years (1950-2010) Category:Law enforcement agencies of Missouri